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Abstract
In today's globalized economy, organizations are increasingly recognizing the importance of fostering inclusive leadership to thrive in diverse workplaces. Leveraging cultural intelligence, inclusive leaders possess the ability to navigate cultural nuances sensitively and effectively, fostering understanding and collaboration across diverse teams. This study explored the relationship between cultural intelligence and inclusive leadership (perceived inclusivity) amongst leaders. A quantitative approach was used in surveying N=89 participants in leadership roles with a minimum of two direct reports. The Cultural Intelligence Scale and Inclusive Leadership scale were used to test the study hypotheses. Finding from this study revealed leaders to perceive themselves as highly inclusive. The model of four subscales of cultural intelligence (metacognitive, cognitive, motivational, and behavioral) predicted a leaders’ inclusivity. From these subscales, metacognitive cultural intelligence was the only variable that further predicted a leader’s inclusivity. The study also found no differences between cultural intelligence and inclusive leadership in for-profit and non-profit leaders. Additionally, there were no differences in cultural intelligence and inclusive leadership across work location (remote/virtual, hybrid, in-person). The findings only supported one of the research hypotheses. Nevertheless, the study revealed opportunities for organizations and leaders to leverage.
